My personal pattern collection is growing by leaps and bounds. I recently bought some large lots of vintage patterns off of Ebay. My pattern collection has grown considerably.

The first box arrived yesterday with around thirty patterns. I won't be keeping all of them, but what I do keep will add to my collection quite a bit. Whatever I don't keep will go for sale on my Etsy store, so keep an eye out for announcements when the first batch is posted.

I am definitely keeping these two patterns. The pattern on the left is from 1943. The annoying thing about it is that the size mark has gone missing from the pattern cover, and the pattern pieces, while being printed, do not have the size printed on them.

The pattern on the left does not have a copyright date anywhere visible. I am guessing it is from the late 1940's to the early 1950's. If someone knows more about it, I would be glad of a correction. The Hollywood pattern is one I couldn't pass up keeping. Again, the date is not printed. The vintage pattern wikia dates it around 1942. My guess is that it is at least early war.

These two patterns will be joining my collection as well. This is my first DuBarry pattern, and I believe my first vintage child's pattern.

I couldn't help but get this cute pattern.

The rest of the patterns are a variety of women's patterns, children's patterns, and one men's shirt pattern. Since there are so many patterns, I put the rest of the pictures in a slideshow.

Most of these patterns as you can see are in pretty poor shape. Before they go up on Etsy, I need to make sure all of the pattern pieces are there. I will also put them in protective sleeves. I think it will help the preservation of these patterns if I remove the pieces and instructions from the covers to relieve any stress.

Oooohh, how fabulously exciting! Even though, for all intents, I'm not a sewer, I still madly adore vintage sewing patterns and readily cop to owning a fun little collection myself (I like to think that one day I'll have much deeper pockets and will be able to commission someone to make garments from some of them for me).

Glad to know we are kindred spirits when it comes to collecting vintage patterns. :) Since I have about one hundred vintage patterns that came in, I am trying to be very picky choosing what ones to keep. My criteria being "will I every make this?". We'll see how optimistic I am about my sewing accomplishments. :)

A website that has been tremendously helpful to me in dating undated patterns is http://vintagepatterns.wikia.com/wiki/Main_Page

An etsy seller recommended it to me once I I've used it often!

Reply

Sarah, Sew Characteristically You

4/18/2016 07:44:31 am

Hi Annie!

Yes, my library has been growing. I think I might keep something like 15 of the 100 patterns I have bought recently to resell.

Yes, I have used the vintage pattern wikia before. Only as you can imagine, not every pattern has a date down for it yet. Part of that being I think that Simplicity didn't put dates on their patterns for quite a long time. I find it is hit and miss to find a date on a 1940's Simplicity pattern. If I find one anywhere, it is on the instruction sheet. McCalls were much more helpful, a lot of their patterns from the 1940's have a date on the pattern cover.

Sarah

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Molly

4/16/2016 11:44:18 am

Oh Sarah!

Those patterns are all so lovely! Will you use some of your new fabrics with them?
Have a great weekend!

Reply

Sarah, Sew Characteristically You

4/18/2016 07:45:49 am

Hi Molly,

You know what, I haven't really thought of that. I have some fabrics that I posted about awhile ago, that I hadn't decided what I wanted to do with them. One of these patterns may just be the one to use!

Sarah

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The Seamstress:

Sarah loves to sew, learn more about sewing, and create items with a vintage flair. Her arch enemy is clipping curves, and she has a tolerable relationship with the seam ripper.